The Hebrew text begins a new chapter here, but the Septuagint does not. Most English versions follow the verse numbering of the Septuagint. Translators may need to follow a tradition respected in their area, but the subject matter of this verse seems to fit better with chapter 13 rather than chapter 14.
Samaria shall bear her guilt: Instead of continuing to speak against “Ephraim,” the prophet now speaks against Samaria. It was a city located in the central part of the northern kingdom. It was built by king Omri (1 Kgs 16.24) and most of the kings of Israel used it as their capital (see comments on 7.1). It is a feminine noun in Hebrew, so feminine pronouns are used to refer to it (her, she). Translators will have to follow grammatical rules in their own languages. Some translations decide to make explicit that the text talks about “The people of Samaria” (New International Version, New Living Translation), or “The inhabitants of Samaria” (Bible en français courant, Bijbel in Gewone Taal).
The Hebrew verb rendered bear her guilt is the usual way of speaking about a guilty person, as if the sin is a burden worthy of punishment until something is done to relieve the sinner of that burden (see comments on 10.2). New Living Translation makes it more explicit, saying “bear the consequences of their guilt” (similarly Bible en français courant). The receptor language may have a specific expression to describe this idea. It may even be necessary to be more explicit; for example, Good News Translation says “Samaria must be punished” (similarly Bijbel in Gewone Taal). New Jerusalem Bible has “Samaria will pay the penalty.”
Because she has rebelled against her God: The conjunction because introduces why the people of Samaria must be punished. The Hebrew verb for rebelled is used for many forms of disobedience, including rebellion against parents. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates “For she has defied her God.”
They shall fall by the sword: Now the text speaks in the plural about the people of Samaria (they). Fall by the sword is an idiom for being killed in war (see comments on 7.16). The sword is used as a metonym for war. If this metonym cannot be used in the receptor language, it may be necessary to say “the men will fall in battle” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) or “Her people will die in war” (Good News Translation; similarly Bible en français courant).
It is not only the adults who will die in the battle, but their little ones shall be dashed in pieces. The enemy does not want any people of that city to continue living there, so they prevent future generations from carrying on the life of that city. The Hebrew word for little ones refers to children below the age of puberty. The verb rendered dashed in pieces does not describe the exact way in which the young children were killed, but we can imagine them being swung forcefully to the ground, striking the skull so that it would break open (see comments on 10.14).
And their pregnant women ripped open: To further prevent any offspring, we can imagine the enemy using knives, swords, or any metal tool to break open the belly of a pregnant woman, thus destroying her unborn child, and the woman would die as well. This was a war practice that apparently was common (see 2 Kgs 15.16; Amos 1.13).
A translation model for this verse is:
• The people of Samaria will be punished,
because they have rebelled against their God.
They will die in battle,
even their little ones will be smashed,
and their pregnant women will be slit open.
Quoted with permission from Dorn, Louis & van Steenbergen, Gerrit. A Handbook on Hosea. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2020. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .